School Chooser

Westminster Academy

Secondary · ages 11-18MixedAcademy1,003 pupilsSixth formLondonWestminster
School Chooser Score
43
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 32 to 53
Out of 100. Better than 30% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, October 2023
Strong pass in English and maths48%England 46%
Attendance88.7%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families55%Far more than most schools
Places297 spare1,003 pupils, 1,300 places
Pupils per teacher13.7School workforce census

Westminster Academy is a sponsored academy in London for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 1,003 pupils and room for 1,300. About 55 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 43 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 30% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

The Naim Dangoor Centre, 255 Harrow Road, London, W2 5EZ020 7121 0600westminsteracademy.org.ukMrs Numera Anwar principalAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 18 October 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Sixth formOfsted calls this “post-16”
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

188 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score48.3
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths48%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths69%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-0.05In each subject, pupils here finished about level with children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 52.952.920182019: 51.951.920192022: 55.455.420222023: 51.951.920232024: 48.048.020242025: 48.348.32025
Since 2018: -4.6Declining overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018WestminsterEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11188200198187168159
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 848.348.051.955.451.952.954.146.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-0.05+0.35+0.43+0.37+0.63
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths48%52%56%65%55%52%59%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths69%67%72%77%71%73%76%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score4.634.654.965.314.794.645.024.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry89%94%96%94%63%39%68%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged40.546.349.549.448.149.6
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged54.449.554.560.556.757.0
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers33.636.530.632.635.1
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers59.566.869.560.262.4

Subjects

Results came out for 18 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

Social Studies71%grades 9 to 5, England 54% · 188th of 1,043 schools
History64%grades 9 to 5, England 52% · 741st of 3,126 schools
English Literature66%grades 9 to 5, England 58% · 870th of 3,202 schools

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Computer Science (29% here, 56% across England), French (42% here, 60% across England), Art and Design (40% here, 58% across England), Geography (37% here, 51% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, 3 languages, computer science.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics183 entries · 10th of 11 in Westminster
55%England 53%
English Language183 entries · 8th of 11 in Westminster
56%England 54%
English Literature182 entries · 8th of 11 in Westminster
66%England 58%
Combined Science123 entries · 9th of 11 in Westminster
34%England 36%
History86 entries · 5th of 11 in Westminster
64%England 52%
Geography85 entries · 11th of 11 in Westminster
37%England 51%
Spanish76 entries · 8th of 10 in Westminster
51%England 54%
French67 entries · 8th of 9 in Westminster
42%England 60%
Social Studies59 entries · 1st of 6 in Westminster
71%England 54%
Biology59 entries · 9th of 10 in Westminster
78%England 82%
Chemistry58 entries · 9th of 10 in Westminster
79%England 81%
Physics58 entries · 10th of 10 in Westminster
76%England 82%
Computer Science52 entries · 6th of 6 in Westminster
29%England 56%
Other Modern Languages50 entries · 5th of 6 in Westminster
48%England 49%
Art and Design35 entries · 6th of 7 in Westminster
40%England 58%
Food Preparation & Nutrition23 entries · 3rd of 3 in Westminster
48%England 52%
German13 entries
31%England 63%
73%England 60%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics18321%55%74%53%1,314 of 3,211
English Language18314%56%72%54%1,260 of 3,210
English Literature18225%66%80%58%870 of 3,202
Combined Science1237%34%62%36%1,557 of 3,084
History8637%64%71%52%741 of 3,126
Geography8511%37%53%51%2,311 of 3,116
Spanish7628%51%62%54%1,107 of 1,941
French6718%42%52%60%1,590 of 1,974
Social Studies5931%71%85%54%188 of 1,043
Biology5939%78%88%82%1,727 of 2,570
Chemistry5841%79%91%81%1,592 of 2,537
Physics5838%76%90%82%1,761 of 2,546
Computer Science5215%29%37%56%1,611 of 1,861
Other Modern Languages5024%48%56%49%328 of 454
Art and Design3511%40%46%58%2,224 of 2,818
Food Preparation & Nutrition2317%48%57%52%612 of 1,098
German138%31%69%63%
Religious Studies1146%73%82%60%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

74 students finished sixth-form courses.

All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students74807174154169
Average A level gradezzNENE
Applied general courses: points per entry37.4134.9542.0938.94

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
40.554.4
Gap 13.9England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
31%62%
Gap 32 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
46.450.8
Gap 4.4England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Open to all. There is no entrance test.

A few spare places1,062 pupils for 1,146 places, 2024/25
93% full

About 84 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 6% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place.

EntryApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Secondary389all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll1,003Census January 2026
Places1,30077% full
Pupils from low-income families51%55% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English58%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support16%159 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%27 pupils with a plan
Average class size24.533 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)54%£491,700 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls513 / 490
White British pupils4%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (49), language and communications needs (36), Moderate learning difficulty (29), Autistic spectrum disorder (23), Other difficulty or disability (18), Specific learning difficulty (14).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll1,0031,0731,1161,1341,1341,127
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals51%49%47%46%42%37%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language58%56%56%57%59%65%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support14%13%14%17%19%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%2%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 88.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance88.7%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school38.7%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils21.72024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission5.8%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence11.3%9.8%10.3%9.3%6.4%6.9%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.5%4.2%2.4%2.5%2.4%4.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence5.8%5.6%7.9%6.8%3.9%2.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence38.7%33.5%37.3%28.2%16.1%21.1%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate21.727.13.21.93.8
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 198 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training90%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 89%, compared with 92% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training90%91%92%96%
Education89%90%91%95%
Apprenticeship1%0%0%1%
Work1%1%1%0%
Not in education, work or training4%5%5%4%

After sixth form

Where the 67 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training78%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 83%, compared with 74% for everyone else.

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training80%England 72%
Top-third universities31%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship3%England 6%
Higher technical course0%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND

Among students from low-income families, 76% went on to degree-level study or training.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training78%78%90%
Education63%65%75%
Apprenticeship3%3%2%1%
Work12%10%12%
Not in education, work or training12%10%0%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers73.0full-time equivalent, 73 people
Pupils per teacher13.7Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers96%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants13.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£57,242
Teachers who left in the year25%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies1
Sick days per teacher6.82024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£10,624England £7,965. Total £11m
Income per pupil£10,883England £8,423. Total £12m
Spent on teachers per pupil£6,029England £4,444
Money in reserve21%A lot put by: £2.4m, £2,274 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£279kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£10,624spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m2,05712 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate143 per 1,000 people57% higher than the England average
Nearest bus stop20 mWestminster Academy / Cirencester Street, 13 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Paddington AcademyAcademy500 m1,256Outstanding 202397Compare
Marylebone AcademyFree school0.7 miles561Good 202254Compare
St George's Catholic SchoolAcademy0.9 miles1,170No overall grade 202591Compare
St Augustine's Federated Schools: CE High SchoolChurch of England0.9 miles953Good 202337Compare
All Saints Catholic CollegeCatholic1.0 miles898Outstanding 202281Compare
Ark King Solomon AcademyAcademy1.0 miles1,319Outstanding 202391Compare
Kensington Aldridge AcademyAcademy1.1 miles1,271Outstanding 202479Compare
Holland Park SchoolAcademy1.2 miles1,376Report card 202689Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Westminster Academy with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats30%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 43 is 24 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 7 · middle 67 · highest 100100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Westminster Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Paddington AcademyAcademy500 m1,256Outstanding 202397Compare
Ark King Solomon AcademyAcademy1.0 miles1,319Outstanding 202391Compare
Ark Burlington Danes AcademyAcademy1.6 miles778Good 202267Compare
Pimlico AcademyAcademy3.3 miles1,079Report card 202682Compare
Harris Academy BatterseaAcademy3.6 miles890Outstanding 202384Compare
The Hurlingham AcademyAcademy3.7 miles728Outstanding 202492Compare
Ark Soane AcademyFree school3.8 miles874Outstanding 202483Compare
City of London Academy, Highgate HillFree school4.2 miles641Good 202460Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 43 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 43% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 32 to 53. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%in line
+0.06
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 188 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.02
Ofsted grade, 2.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.00
DfE progress measure; 188 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.14
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.11
2024/25; 948 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.06
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 188 pupils
What pupils do next5%in line
-0.01
198 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Westminster Academy a good school?

It is about average. Westminster Academy scores 43 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 30% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 32 to 53, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Westminster Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Westminster Academy good at its last full inspection on 18 October 2023.

How good are Westminster Academy's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 48% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 48.3, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished about level with children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Westminster Academy have?

1,003 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,300 places, so it is 77% full.

Is Westminster Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 84 places were empty in 2024/25 (7% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Westminster Academy?

Pupils were in school 88.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 39% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Westminster Academy?

The average class had 24.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Westminster Academy have a sixth form?

Yes.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
The Naim Dangoor Centre, 255 Harrow Road, London, W2 5EZ
Telephone
020 7121 0600
Website
www.westminsteracademy.org.uk
Principal
Mrs Numera Anwar
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
None
Single-academy trust
The Westminster Academy (Westbourne Green) (1 schools)
Local authority
Westminster
Ward
Westbourne
Constituency
Queen's Park and Maida Vale
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2006 (new provision)
URN
131262 · LAESTAB 2136906 · UKPRN 10015510
Formerly
North Westminster Community School

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from